What Place Branding is, and why Ukrainian towns and villages need it
Today, Ukraine is forced to address three major challenges related to preserving and growing its population. The first is bringing emigrants back. War and economic instability have triggered a large wave of migration, and even after hostilities end, the country may face a situation in which people do not return due to a lack of prospects.
This creates a vicious circle: a weak economy does not encourage people to come back, while a shortage of people slows economic recovery. Many return only to leave again after failing to see real opportunities. To break this cycle, it is not enough to create conditions for return—there must also be motivation to stay. That motivation can include confidence in the future, opportunities for development, a safe environment, and a sense of belonging and integration within a community.
The second challenge is retaining people in their home areas, especially in smaller towns. Housing and jobs are fundamental needs, but they are not sufficient on their own. Research shows that attachment to place can help people endure even economic hardship. People are more likely to stay if they feel connected to their community. But if that connection is missing, the community can become a source of negativity. Residents begin to criticise the place where they live, creating a negative image for potential new residents, internally displaced people, or tourists. To keep people, communities must cultivate love for their town or village, pride in it, and belief in its future.
The third challenge is integrating internally displaced people and future migrants. The war has caused unprecedented internal displacement, and in some communities, newcomers already make up as much as 30% of residents. They carry significant economic potential, but often feel like temporary guests rather than part of the community. This can lead to parallel social groups that barely interact. International experience shows that the faster migrants feel they belong, the more actively they integrate: they find work, start businesses, and join local initiatives. This is something Ukraine can learn from Europe—because within just a few years, 11% of newly arrived Ukrainians say they feel more integrated there than at home.
In conditions of intense competition for human capital, Ukraine’s demographic crisis requires not only acknowledging the problem, but also a systemic approach to solving it. This issue concerns everyone—residents, authorities, potential investors, and tourists. Their interest, trust, and involvement are key to overcoming the situation. And one globally recognised tool that is still not widely used in Ukraine—place branding—can be part of the answer.
What is Place Branding?
Place Branding is a systemic communication tool that helps a territory (a town, village, or region) develop by shaping an image that supports strategic goals—particularly economic ones. It creates a framework for communicating with key internal and external stakeholders, builds reputation, strengthens emotional ties between people and place, increases trust, and encourages people to invest themselves in the community’s future.
One of the most important questions facing Ukraine and its regions is: Who are we, and what do we exist for? Without an answer, it is difficult to speak about long-term economic success, preservation of national identity, and protection of cultural heritage. If solutions are not found, Ukraine risks becoming just “a place on the map,” losing its distinctiveness and its development prospects.
Place Branding as a systemic solution
Place branding is often understood too narrowly—as a new logo or a tourism brochure. But it is much more than that. Like any long-term process, place branding unfolds through several stages. It begins with research that helps a community understand what it is, what its strengths and weaknesses are, what residents expect, and which direction of development is most organic. Then a strategy is formed—a shared vector that turns abstract ideas into concrete priorities. Next, it is important to translate big goals into clear, measurable projects and to identify resources for implementation.
How can communities compete for people?
A community becomes “home” not only through economic factors, but also through creating experiences that strengthen people’s connection to the place:
History and culture. Understanding local history, traditions, and achievements builds emotional attachment.
Social interaction. People must feel their voice matters—that they are not just residents, but active participants in community life.
Visible progress. Infrastructure projects, social initiatives, and events must be tangible and demonstrate that the place is developing.
Place branding in Ukraine: intuitive, but not systemic
Although place branding as a systemic solution is still rarely used in Ukraine, many communities already intuitively understand that development depends not only on housing and jobs, but also on building an emotional connection to place. For now, however, most efforts are fragmented—focused on just one aspect. Perhaps in our context this is natural: to start with specific, even small projects, and later connect them into one system.
How it works: examples from Ukrainian communities
In Kozelshchyna (Poltava region), the community started by restoring the local library and expanding it into a public space as a first step toward building trust and engagement. Over time, the Smart Space became a cultural and educational hub hosting courses, lectures, and creative evenings that attract visitors even from nearby larger cities. The main goal is to develop awareness and critical thinking among young people and broaden residents’ horizons.
